Young Australian Music Audiences 2024

Our first-of-its-kind national survey of young Australians confirms what we’ve long suspected: live music matters — but rising costs are keeping too many young people from being part of it. 

Working with The Australia Institute, The Push surveyed a nationally representative group of 1,009 young people aged 16–25 to understand how they engage with music, the barriers they face, and what could make it easier for them to get involved. 

Here’s what we found: 

• Two in three 16–25-year-olds (64%) say attending live music is important to them. 

• Cost is the biggest barrier: three in five (59%) say it stops them from going, and one in three (35%) say it’s the most significant factor. 

• Young people want solutions: around four in five support programs that would help them stage music events locally (81%) or give them government-funded vouchers for creative and cultural experiences (80%). 

“This is a pivotal moment for the Australian music scene. These numbers back up what we’ve heard anecdotally for years: young people want to be at live music, and they believe all levels of government have a role to play — from grassroots shows to the biggest stages,” says The Push. 

Find out more about the research here: